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FAQs . Do I need a visa to go to India? Yes, all foreigners except for nationals of Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives, need a visa to enter India. With regard to Maldives' nationals, a visa is required if intended stay in India would be longer than 90 days. . Can I get a visa on arrival to enter India? No, you must obtain a visa before taking a flight to India. You cannot obtain a visa on arrival in India, and immigration authorities will not permit any foreigner to enter the country. . Is it mandatory to fill the visa form online now? Yes all visa applications have to done online from 25th July 2011. . Can I apply for my Visa manually since I don’t have access to a computer? From 25th July 2011, all applications will have to be completed online. Manual applications are not accepted. . Can I edit the Form once it is printed? The online form cannot be edited once it has been printed. Please ensure that you verify all the information you enter before you finally submit the application and take a print out. IN case of an error, you would have to redo a new application form. . How do I retrieve the form if I have not completed it? At the start and on each subsequent page of the online form there is a unique temporary ID that is generated at the top of the page. This number must be correctly noted for you to be able to retrieve your application before it is printed. . Can I make a payment online? Payments cannot be made online however you have the facility to make a payment at the visa center itself when you come to submit your documents . I want to visit India for tourism/to attend a friend's marriage/ to meet my friends. Which visa should I apply for? You should apply for a tourist visa which is normally valid for multiple entries and a maximum stay of six months in India. Note that the tourist visa is non-extendable and cannot be converted into any other type of visa. . I am a foreign passport holder now, Could I apply for 1 year or more tourist visa? Persons of Indian origin can get a tourist visa valid for 6 months, how ever they can apply for a 1 year or more visitors visa. . I travel to India frequently for business meetings/to explore opportunities for partnerships with Indian companies. Which visa should I apply for? You may apply for a business visa valid for multiple entries for either six months or one year along with the requisite documents as per the checklist. Kindly note that a Business Visa does not permit you to work in India. In case you wish to work in India, you should apply for an Employment Visa. . I am a Canadian national and I go for one or two months every year for tourism. Which visa should I apply for? You can only apply for 6 month Tourist visas that enable unlimited visits to India during the period of validity of visa. This visa is non-extendable from India. There is a restriction of 2 Months gap from your last exit from India on a Tourist Visa. . Is it true that I must have a gap of 2 months on my return from India? What if I want to leave for India again, in less than 2 months, since my Tourist visa is still valid? The Restrictions on Tourist Visa are that there should be a gap of at least 2 months between two visits to India on a Tourist Visa. This stipulation of two months gap does not apply on any other type of visa, i.e. Business (B) or Entry (X) types of visas. It also does not apply to PIO and OCI card holders. . Can my tourist visa be extended while in India ? No, you need to apply for a fresh visa an at any Indian mission/ post outside India, and allow processing time of 5- 7 days. . I will be changing flights/airports in India to travel to my final destination (say Nepal, Thailand etc.) Do I need a visa to change flights/airport terminals? You need to apply for a transit visa if you are going to change from an international terminal to a domestic terminal of any Indian airport or if you are going to stay in an airport hotel even for a few hours. You don't need a transit visa if you stay in the waiting area reserved for international transit passengers in an Indian airport. Note that you can stay for a maximum period of 72 hours in India on a transit visa. You should have a confirmed air ticket for the onward journey . I have to participate in a Conference/Seminar/Workshop in India. Which visa should I apply for? You should apply for a Conference Visa to enable you to participate in the Conference/Seminar/ Workshop along with invitation letter, details of the Conference etc. Clearance from competent authority from India is required. . I will travel at a much later date could my visa be issued to coincide with the date of travel? No, post dated visa's are not issued. The validity of the visa begins from the date of issue only. . I have to go for internship/training in a university/institute/company in India for a short period. Which visa should I apply for? You should apply for an entry visa along with a copy of the offer letter stating the terms of internship. You may also be required to submit a copy of the inter-university student exchange agreement if the proposed internship is a component of such an agreement. You would be required to submit proof of financial standing to support your stay in India. If you receive any monetary compensation/salary from the Indian organisation, you will have to apply for a business visa. . I will be going to India for work/employment along with my family. Which visa should I apply for? Would my children be able to study in India? You must apply for an employment visa along with the requisite documents. Once your visa application is approved, your wife and children may apply for entry visas in case they are accompanying you on your stay in India. Your children will be able to secure admission in schools/colleges in India once they have been granted entry visas. Kindly note that you have to undergo mandatory registration formalities at the nearest office of the FRRO/FRO within 14 days of your arrival in India if you are planning to stay in the country for a period longer than 180 days. . I will be studying in India for one semester/trimester in an IIT/IIM/IISc/Indian university. Which visa should I apply for? You should apply for a student visa along with a copy of the letter from the institute/university confirming your acceptance as a student. You would also be required to submit proof of financial standing to support your stay in India. . I have to travel to India on an emergency. Is there any extra charge for the same? Visas are granted on holidays and after service hours in case of a genuine emergency like death or medical emergency subject to production of sufficient documentary proof. The decision of the Consular officer in this regard shall be final. Please note a tourist visa cannot be applied for under emergency procedure. . I had applied for a visa for India but I have changed my mind about visiting the country. Can I claim a refund of the visa fee? Visa fees are non-refundable once the visa application is accepted and cannot be refunded even if the visa is refused/not granted. . Do I need a visa for my pet who is accompanying me on my visit to India? Visa is not required for taking a pet to India but certain customs and vaccination-related regulations have to be complied with. Kindly consult your airline/travel agent for details of these regulations and necessary documentation to facilitate the visit. . My application and passport have been submitted and it has been a while, how can I enquire about the status of my application? You can trace your application on line by visiting our website http:// in.vfsglobal.ca or by calling our helpline Mondays to Saturday between 0830 hrs to 1430 hrs. . Can I study in India? Yes. With a valid student visa. . Can I work in India? Yes. With a valid employment visa. . How do I know when my passport is ready for collection from the Indian Consular Services in Canada? Please track your passport either by logging on http:// in.vfsglobal.ca. You can also call our helpline number to check the status of your passport. . Can I collect my passport from the High Commission of India, Ottawa or the Consulate General in Toronto and Vancouver? No. You have to collect your passport from the Indian Consular Services in Canada where you made the application. . Do I have to submit my passport and visa application with the India Consular Services only? Yes, However Diplomats and officials of foreign diplomatic Mission, UN and other international organization personnel, Canadian government official holding diplomatic/ official passport must submit their visa application directly to the Consulate or High Commission of India. . How do I pay for the visa and service charges? Please visit the following link . Will I be allowed to carry liquor to India? Yes. But if you are traveling to Gujarat, you will have to apply for a liquor permit on arrival in Gujarat . Please check with your airline for other restrictions on alcohol. . I have been issued a six month visa, can I say in India after 6 months after my arrival? Period of stay is not reckoned from the date of your entry in India but from the date of issue of visa. . Do all the applicants need to be present at the time of submitting an application? Yes, all applicants must be present unless it is an immediate family member for example a husband can submit an application on behalf of his wife or vice versa, and a parent can submit an application on behalf of their children as long as the children are minors. However a colleague, travel agent, or friend, cannot submit an application on your behalf. . Will the visa and service fee courier service fees be refunded? No refunds. Fees once received will not be refunded, even if the application is withdrawn or service denied. . I wish to visit certain areas in India like Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland etc. Can I obtain a visa to visit these areas? A tourist visa is not sufficient to visit these areas because all of these regions in India are restricted/protected areas for which it is necessary to obtain a Restricted/ Protected Area Permit (RAP/PAP). This permit can be obtained in India either from the Ministry of Home Affairs or FRRO concerned after entering India with a tourist visa. You can visit certain open areas in Sikkim for a maximum period of 15 days in case you request a 'special endorsement for Sikkim' at the time of applying for your tourist visa. . Can a business visa be extended in India? Yes directly at the Ministry External Affairs and the second time at the nearest local FRRO. . Can I still travel on my Indian passport on acquiring Canadian Citizenship ? The Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, does not allow dual citizenship. Holding Indian passport/acquiring Indian passport/ traveling on Indian passport after acquisition of foreign citizenship constitutes an offence under the Indian Passport Act, 1967, and attracts penalties. Under Indian law, Person whose previous nationality was Indian before acquiring any foreign Nationality, are required to surrender their Indian passports to the nearest Indian Mission/Post immediately after acquisition of foreign citizenship and obtain a surrender certificate. All applications for renunciation/surrender of Indian passports are to be made at any of the India Visa Application Centers in Canada, as per the Jurisdiction.

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